Does Smoking Weed Impact Lung Health?

If you have been putting off smoking weed because you’re scared of lung damage, then you can breathe a little easier today! 

Research shows that smoking marijuana does not negatively impact your lung performance - and it may even help your lungs a little by giving them a workout.

In this article, we’ll discuss what research says about smoking marijuana and lung health, and what you can do to preserve lung health while still enjoying the benefits of weed if you have concerns. 

Does Weed Hurt Your Lungs?

Using cannabis has numerous health benefits. It has been shown to help reduce depression, anxiety, insomnia, chronic pain, and more. 

However, if you’re worried about what smoking weed can do to your lungs, then you’re not alone. After all, smoking cigarettes is associated with an increased risk of lung cancer, so many people associate weed with the same consequences. 

According to an article published by Harvard Medical School, moderate consumption of weed does not impact lung health. These findings were published in a 2012 study in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

Researchers determined that smoking one joint per day for seven years does not negatively affect lung functioning. In fact, the study indicated that smoking marijuana may even be good for your lungs and chest because it gives them a workout, so to speak.

In the study, the researchers focused on whether smoking weed long-term had the same impact on lungs as tobacco use. Specifically, they wanted to know if it increased the risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). 

It was noted that the smoke of tobacco and marijuana are made of many of the same substances. However, the results of the study had interesting results, indicating that there is no evidence to show that marijuana use decreases lung function.

Here are some of the key findings of the study:

• Researchers assessed the subject’s current use as light, moderate, or heavy. Lifetime tobacco usage was measured in pack-years. One pack-year is the same as smoking 20 cigarettes per day for a year (7,300 cigarettes). Marijuana use was measured in joint-years. One joint year equals one joint or one pipe bowl per day (365 joints).
• Subjects were asked to inhale as deeply as possible and exhale into a device that measured the volume of air blown into it to determine their lung function. The devices used forced vital capacity (FVC) - or the total amount of air blown into the device until the lungs were empty - and forced expiratory volume (FEV1) - the amount of air pushed out of the lungs during the second exhale - as measures of lung function.
• Results indicated that for cigarette smokers, lung function decreased the more cigarettes they smoked per day. However, the marijuana users saw improvements on their lung function tests in moderate (one per day) usage. It was noted that marijuana users’ lung scores worsened when they smoked more than this (10 joint-years). 
• Researchers noted that the way pot is smoked might be the reason why weed may have some benefits. It requires deep inhalation that may stretch lung tissue and expand lung volume, which strengthens the chest wall muscles - allowing pot users to inhale and exhale with more force than cigarette users. 

It should be noted that despite these findings, researchers warn against people thinking that smoking weed is good for them. You can certainly improve lung function through aerobic exercise and deep breathing exercises that focus on stretching the lung muscles. 

However, this is good news for anyone who may be concerned about smoking one joint per day and the possible effect it may have on their lungs. 

How to Use Weed Without Smoking It

If you’re still not sold on the idea that smoking weed isn’t that bad for your lungs, then check out these tips for using cannabis that don’t involve smoking.

1. CBD oil

Oil  concentrates are an excellent way to use cannabis. You can ingest it to get all the benefits of cannabis without affecting lung health. 

Cannabis oils can be added to edibles (gummies, brownies, or other baked goods) or taken as-is. It can also be used topically as an anti-inflammatory agent. 

2. Capsules

Taking weed in capsule form is another good way to bypass the lungs and ensure you’re getting all the health benefits. 

You can take CBD capsules or find a capsule that contains your desired amount of THC so that you can still get high. 

3. Edibles - Try a chocolate bar

CannaCo Coco Loco Bars are the PERFECT way to satisfy your sweet tooth while also getting high (and bypassing the lungs). 

We recommend enjoying this dessert at night to help you sleep as the cannabis properties are very high! Check out more ways to enjoy weed without smoking it here!